I'm Still Painting Flowers For You
by DoctorWhoFan9
Summary: The Winter Soldier never fails to complete a mission, until now. No matter what his orders were, he could not bring himself to subdue the two terrified children. They would help HYDRA shape the world as he had. The children were his mission. They were the first mission he failed. But they weren't the last. Now he doesn't know who he is. Can his past hold the key to his future?
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, so I know this one's really short, but never fear there's more to come! I do not own Marvel, Captain America, HYDRA, Bucky Banes, The Winter Soldier, The Avengers, etc. nor do I own the X-Men, which may possibly come in later ;) Also a bit of warning, the pov skips around a bit, it's always 3rd person but also from one of the characters' povs at the same time if that makes sense. You'll see what I mean in the next chapter, anyways on with the story :) Also let me know what you think!**

* * *

_**"Stars can't shine without darkness." ~ Jamie McGuire**_

The winter soldier never failed a mission, until now. No matter what his orders were, he could not bring himself to subdue the two terrified children whose parents he had just killed. The children were his mission. Bring them to the base, alive, injured if necessary, but alive. They would help HYDRA shape the world as he had. He couldn't let that happen to them. The soldier didn't know why but he couldn't let HYDRA get these children. The children were his mission. They were the first mission he failed.

He didn't know what year it was, it didn't matter anyway. They needed him to complete a mission. There were two children, a brother and sister, he was to retrieve them. The boy was eight, his sister two years younger. They were special, his handler said. They were miracles. They could do things, things that would change the world, give it the freedom it deserved, with a bit of training and supervision of course. Bring the children back to base, kill the parents or anyone else who stands in the way, but the children were to be kept alive and relatively uninjured.

The Winter Soldier nodded. He had his mission and he never failed.


	2. Chapter 2

**I still don't own Marvel, Captain America, Bucky Barnes, etc.**

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_**"It doesn't matter what story we're telling, we're telling the story of family."~ Erica Lorraine Scheidt**_

Anora Williams looked up from the rock she was scrutinizing and glanced around. She could have sworn that someone had been watching her a second before, granted she was six- years- old and someone was always watching her to make sure she stayed out of _too_ much trouble, but she knew the difference between someone she knew keeping an eye on her and a stranger. She frowned for a second, her gold eyes fixing on a point across the street, behind the only synagogue in town, in the tree line.

"Nora, sweetheart! Come get washed up for dinner!" Her mother called from their front porch. "You too, Jace!"

"Coming Mummy!" The little girl called jumping up and running after her older brother. She paused at the door and looked over her shoulder, she still felt like someone was watching them, but maybe it was just Uncle Nick or one of his friends making sure they were ok.

Uncle Nick did work as a spy, and it also wouldn't be the first time he'd sent someone to make sure they were safe. Nora shrugged and closed the front door behind her. It was probably just Uncle Nick again, he was weird like that, but he really did care.

* * *

The Winter Soldier watched from the tree line as the girl picked through a pile of rocks that where at her feet in her mother's garden. Her brother was reading not far from her on their porch steps. Suddenly the girl looked up. The soldier and his team drew back into the shadows and waited silently and still. The girl glanced around, frowning, her eyes stopping right where the HYDRA team was standing.

_She knows we're here_. The soldier remained completely still with this thought running through his head until the child's mother called for the both of them to go inside. He watched as the two children leapt to their feet and ran to the house, the girl still carrying the stone in her hand. He saw the glance the little girl tossed over her shoulder in their direction, and the little shrug before she closed the door.

* * *

"Jay?" Anora asked when she followed her brother up the front stairs after dinner.

"Yeah, Nor?"

"Did you feel like someone was watching us earlier? 'afore mummy called us?"

"No. why? Did you?"

Jaycen turned and looked at his little sister. Jace felt his stomach drop when she nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "It was prob'ly Uncle Nick or one of his friends, I was just wondrin'."

Jace nodded but couldn't shake the feeling in his gut. "Are you sure it wasn't someone bad?"

"Yes. I don't think whoever it was wants to hurt us. I think, they wanna keep us safe…"

* * *

The winter soldier and his men held their positions. They would wait until it was totally dark, until the children were in bed. It was safer that way, they wouldn't have to see their parents' fate.

* * *

"Alright Kiddos, what's it going to be tonight? A story? A song or two?" Michael Williams asked as he tucked his two children into bed, his wife Joanna watching them a small smile on her face from the doorway. Jo chuckled as her children exchanged matching looks of mischievous glee before looking back at their father.

"A story?" Jace asked hopefully, his brown eyes lit up.

"Please daddy?" Nora begged, her round face ready to drop to a pout at a moment's notice.

"A story it is. What story do you want to hear?" two little heads with dark hair swiveled to look at each other across the room.

"How did you and Mom meet dad?" their eight year old son asked.

"Yeah! Tell us that?"

"Alright and then bed."

"But Dad!"

"Daddy, we wanted to hear the story Gran'pa tells too… can't we hear both?" Anora pouted, her brother nodding from the other bed.

Michael turned and looked beseechingly at his wife. "Jo…" Joanna Williams just smiled and shook her head. Her husband was such a teddy bear sometimes.

"Oh, go ahead, tell both." Jo laughed as her two boys and her little girl cheered.

"There once was a man who was far too shy to talk to the woman of his dreams. He saw her every day in the museum where he worked, but could never get within five feet of her without tripping or dropping something. What he didn't know was that she too was too shy to talk to him, for the same reason. Until one day…"

* * *

The winter soldier crept silently into the almost darkened house, through the back door and up the back staircase. He paused at the top of the stairs and listened.

"… and they lived happily ever after, even to this day, with two lovely and mischievous children." It seemed the man was telling a story. He would wait until he left the children's room, until he was sure the children were asleep before he acted.

"Tell us granddad's story?" the boy asked, while the girl cheered and a woman laughed.

"Go on dear, you did say you would."

"Alright, alright. I can't say I'll be as good at telling this one as the old man, but I'll give it a go. It was November 1943, and the 107th had been captured by the Nazi science devsion HYDRA two weeks before. Private Fredrick Williams was being held with the rest of his unit in a secret base. Men were being taken away for testing and they never came back. One day they came for him. He shook, terrified that he would never make it back to the girl he wanted to marry, terrified that she would never know what happened to him, terrified of what they would do to him. But one of the other men in his unit stepped forward. 'Take me instead.' Private Williams looked over at Sargent Barnes. What was he doing? Didn't he know that the people they took away never came back? 'Sir-' the Sargent shook his head. 'You've got a girl back home, a mighty fine looking dame too, if that picture's any good. You deserve the chance to get back to her in one piece soldier. Besides, I've got this friend, he'd never forgive me for not trying to help and you remind me of him.' So they took Sargent Barnes away. Williams couldn't help praying for help to come, any help at all. He prayed help would get there in time to help the Sargent, to help them all. The next day help arrived, but not how Williams had expected. A man in a spangled outfit and an aggravated looking young woman were their saviors, they even saved Sargent Barnes. The HYDRA base was destroyed and the boys arrived back at their base safe, sound, and alive. The young woman had been treating what wounds she could. She and the soldiers that formed The Howling Commandos grew close over the time she was there, especially Sargent Barnes, but tragedy struck. She was in the lab that Mr. Stark had set up, with Captain America, Sargent Barnes and Mr. Stark when there was an explosion. She died that day, and the Sargent found her locket in the wreckage. From that day on he wore it with his dog tags; it was his good luck charm. The day he fell from the train, he fell and found her again. If it hadn't been for Sargent Barnes, your grandfather wouldn't have made it to Captain America's rescue alive. And without The Captain, he wouldn't have made it out of the HYDRA base alive. Without that mysterious woman, he wouldn't have made it back to the camp alive. Without them, he would never have made it home, he would never have married Margie Wright, never would have had a son or two beautiful grandchildren."

The man's voice grew softer. Until his voice could barely be heard. There was silence for a moment, before 'goodnights' were whispered and the light tuned off. The man and woman slid out of the children's room and were closing the door when a quiet voice spoke from within.

"Mummy? Daddy?"

"Yes Nora?" The woman asked.

"I think he's still (yawn) lookin' for 'er… the sargent…"

"Oh?"

"mhmm… an' she's waitin' for 'im an' her boys… but 'specially 'im…"

The Soldier waited, just as her parents waited, but only silence came from the room.

"Good night, my angels…" the woman whispered.

"Goodnight, our little ones." The man whispered closing the door.

The Winter Soldier waited a moment before following the adults down the front stairs. He paused, waiting for them to enter the room to the left of the stairs before he stalked quietly to the front door and signaled his men. It was time to complete the mission.

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**Please let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Again: I do not own Marvel or it's affiliates. **

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_**"****Love your family. Spend time, be kind & serve one another. Make no room for regrets. Tomorrow is not promised & today is short."~****Unknown**_

Michael walked into their little library with Joanna. "The kids absolutely love that story." He said.

"Hmmm… I wonder… don't they remind you of someone…?" Jo laughed.

He smiled thinking of his childhood and how often he, his sister Lucile, and his brother Josiah had begged their father to tell them that story.

He shook his head "I guess they do. They're like Lulu, Jos and I were at that age. They get into enough trouble too…"

Jo just laughed and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't forget that Williams stubborn streak too, Sweetie."

"Yes, how could I forget the Williams- McCoy stubborn streak?" he said rolling his eyes.

Jo laughed again, lightly slapping his chest. She froze suddenly, her smile fading into a look of suppressed fear. Michael spun quickly; as soon as he saw her face he knew something was wrong. He immediately saw why. A man with half his face covered was pointing a gun at them with a metal arm, several other men with guns stood behind him. Michael knew immediately who sent them there and why. Joanna clung to his arm, he knew she knew too.

"No…" Michael whispered, fear clenching his heart.

* * *

The Winter Soldier knew the children's parents understood why they were there; he could see it in their eyes. His suspicion was confirmed when the man whispered "No…"

The woman tightened her grip on the man's arm, she looked like her world was collapsing, but she didn't move her eyes from the soldier's face.

"Please, please God, please no. please don't take my babies. Don't hurt them. Please God, don't hurt our little angels. Please." She muttered, never once taking her eyes from the soldier's. The soldier just stared back at her with cold eyes, but something made his heart ache.

"Kid, you don't have to do this, please, don't do this. You don't want to hurt the little ones, I know you don't. But if you do this, they will get hurt. You don't have to do this." The man said, practically pleading. The soldier lowered his gun just a hair, hesitating. The man was right, they would get hurt, he didn't want to do this, but he had to, he had his orders. The soldier raised the gun again.

The woman was crying, but she kept staring at him. "I've seen you before…" she muttered. "in Fred's pictures from the war…" her eyes widened. "But- but how-? Everyone thought- no one could have- my God-"

"Mom? Dad?"

They all froze, eyes darting to the door at the base of the stairs. The boy stood there rubbing his eyes. As soon as he saw the HYDRA agents he let out a scream as his face drained of colour.

The Winter Soldier knew then that completing his mission would not be easy in the least.

* * *

_It was dark. Jace and Anora were running, gasping for breath, through the trees, gunshots ringing out behind them. There was blood in the breeze. The word __**run**__ echoing in their ears along with angry shouts and anguished screams. Fear gripped Jaycen. They were going to die-_

Jaycen bolted up in bed, gasping for breath as if he truly had been running for his life.

"Jacy?" Anora muttered from her bed sleepily.

"Everything's fine Nor, go back to sleep."

"Mkay, Jacy…" she mumbled.

The eight year old slipped out of his bed and padded across the hall to their parent's room and peaked in the door. The bedside lamp was on and the bed was empty. _They must still be down stairs,_ he thought. Jace padded to the top of the stairs and walked quietly down to the door of their little library.

"Mom? Dad?" he asked sleep clouding his voice as he rubbed his eyes. When he opened his eyes he thought he was back in his nightmare, the colour drained from his face. He didn't even try not to scream.

* * *

Anora was dreaming peacefully. She was grown up, laughing with a boy her age with short brown hair and blue-green eyes. She was trying to get him to dance with her. He was asking why she wanted to dance with him, she was asking if she needed a reason and he was smiling, the type of smile that lit up his entire face. They had just started dancing when Anora woke up. For a moment she didn't know why she woke up, then she heard her brother breathing harshly on the other side of the room.

"Jacy?" she mumbbled from her bed.

"Everything's fine Nor, go back to sleep." He told her.

She didn't really believe him, but her eyelids were so heavy she didn't argue. "Mkay, Jacy…"

She heard her brother get out of his bed and go look for their mum and dad. She was almost asleep when she heard Jace scream. Anora shot up. Terror coursing through her. She was only six, but she knew Jace never screamed like that unless- unless something was wrong, terribly, horribly wrong. She hugged her teddy bear and ran out into the hall and down the stairs freezing when she saw her brother at the foot of the stairs rooted in place and the men with guns.

Joanna broke free of her stupor first. "Jaycen take Anora and run!" she screamed. "Jaycen Alexander! Now! Go! For God's sake run!"

One of the men behind The Winter Soldier stepped up to her and hit her to get her to shut up. But Joanna Temperance McCoy-Williams was not one to back down or give in when her family was endangered. "We love you angels, now run! Run, babies, run and don't look back! Go!"

She watched as Jace turned and run back up the stairs presumably with Nora. Jo could hear Anora protesting and crying for her and Michael.

Joanna glared through her tears at HYDRA's agents. "I don't give a damn what you do to me, but you will **not touch my babies!**"

Michael nodded, his jaw clenched, hands in fists, ready to fight. "You. Bastards. Will. Not. Touch. My. Family. Not while I'm alive."

* * *

Jace couldn't move. The sound had left his body with that scream. He didn't stir until his mother screamed.

"Jaycen take Anora and run! Jaycen Alexander! Now! Go! For God's sake run! We love you angels, now run! Run, babies, run and don't look back! Go!"

He spun and ran up the stairs, grabbing ahold of his baby sister as he ran past, dragging her up the stairs, past the bedrooms and down the back staircase, out the backdoor, towards the cover of the trees.

"Jay! Stop! We haveta help mummy and daddy! Let go! We have to go back!" Nora was crying, and it broke his heart, but he kept running dragging her and her teddy bear along behind him.

"We can't. We can't go back. We have to keep running. Mommy told us to. We have to." The tears slid down his pale face, he was a kid but he knew what death was. His best friend Aidan's dad had been a cop and had died. Jace knew what death was. He knew they wouldn't see their parents again, so he was going to do what mom had told him to do. Run. Run and take care of Nora.

* * *

The soldier heard and saw what was happening as though he were underwater. He heard the woman screaming for her children to run, the agent slap her, the boy turn and run. He heard the girl crying, begging for her parents. Everything cleared as the woman spoke, "I don't give a damn what you do to me, but you will not touch my babies!"

He half turned toward them. The man spoke, "You. Bastards. Will. Not. Touch. My. Family. Not while I'm alive."

The soldier knew the man would fight. The man reminded him of someone, but he couldn't place it. The soldier fired one shot, hitting the man in the leg. "Finish them. I'll get the targets."

The soldier turned and left the house headed for the trees he knew the children had gone for.

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**So there's a bit of foreshadowing in both the dreams, and Sargent James Bucanan Barnes is peaking out from The Winter Soldier a bit. I hope you like it so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I still don't own.**

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_**"Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about." ~ Wendy Mass**_

Anora was sobbing, gasping for breath, as she stumbled along after her brother, clutching his hand like a life line. She could feel someone following them, and she wasn't wrong. She saw her brother's foot catch on a root and he let go of her hand as he tumbled forward.

"Jace!" she cried as a figure came toward them through the trees.

Jaycen was in pain and in a panic. Why? Why hadn't he watched where he was going?

"Jace!"

"Nora what are you doing? Run!" Why had come back? She had to keep running.

"No! We just lost Mummy and Daddy, I'm not losing you too!"

"Nora-" Jace felt his heart break a bit more. Nora knew, she knew that they weren't going to see mom and dad again, she knew that they were dying, she knew.

"No Jacy!"

He tried to stand, but his ankle hurt, he cried and fell back to the ground, why did it have to hurt so bad? Jace's eyes flicked past his baby sister and what he saw made him freeze. The man was there, the one from the house. The one who had pointed the gun at mom and dad, the one mom had been staring at like she'd seen a ghost.

Jace saw Nora turn and follow his eyes.

* * *

The soldier saw the boy fall. He heard the girl call the boy's name and run back to him. The soldier stopped a few yards from them.

"Nora what are you doing? Run!"

"No! We just lost Mummy and Daddy, I'm not losing you too!"

"Nora-"

"No Jacy!" the girl was sobbing, they both were. The boy tried to get up, but cried out in pain and collapsed when he put weight on his ankle.

The soldier stepped toward them, gun out in case it was needed to retrieve the targets. The soldier felt his stomach roll and his heart clench. He didn't want to do this. _It doesn't matter what you want. You have your orders. Complete the mission._

* * *

Nora looked up at the man, her eyes wide as she clung to her brother's hand and to her teddy bear. Why? Why was he doing this? Anora could tell he didn't want to, so why was he?

"Why?" she asked her voice shaking. The man froze and looked at her. "Why are you doing this? Why?"

"Orders."

"Whose orders?" Nora stared at him, she wanted to know who was doing this and why. She was curious, just like always. Daddy had told her curiosity was a good thing, but sometimes you don't like what you find out.

"HYDRA."

Her eyes widened even more. HYDRA? They were the people who tried to hurt granddad and his friends in the war. They were supposed to be gone.

"Wh-why?" Jace was just as scared as she was, more than she was probably. Jacy always got really, really quiet when he was super scared.

"You're special. They need you as assets."

"T-to do w-what?" Jace stuttered. Anora glanced at him. She had no clue what 'assets' meant, but she knew he did, Jace was always reading.

"Change the world. Free it."

Anora was confused. "Free it from what?"

"Freedom."

"wha-? But that's silly. The world doesn't need freed from freedom. It- it needs people to care about each other and love each other and to stop caring about themselves more than everyone else. The world needs freedom. It needs people helping people cuz it's the nice thing to do. It needs love and hope and faith in the good things. Not- not what HYDRA did- not what it does. 'Specially if it tears families apart and hurts people and makes 'em do things they don't wanna do. And you don't wanna do what you've done or are gonna do, you shouldn't have to."

"It doesn't matter what I want. I have my orders. I have to complete the mission."

"What d'ya mean what you want doesn't matter? You're a person, what you want matters. You don't wanna follow your orders. You think it's wrong. Why doesn't that matter?"

* * *

The girl looked at him.

"Freed from what?"

"Freedom." He saw her face change from confusion to disbelief.

"wha-? But that's silly. The world doesn't need freed from freedom. It- it needs people to care about each other and love each other and to stop caring about themselves more than everyone else. The world needs freedom. It needs people helping people cuz it's the nice thing to do. It needs love and hope and faith in the good things. Not- not what HYDRA did- not what it does. 'Specially if it tears families apart and hurts people and makes 'em do things they don't wanna do. And you don't wanna do what you've done or are gonna do, you shouldn't have to."

It didn't matter. It didn't matter what he thought or felt. Orders were orders. He had to complete his mission. But he felt dizzy. What the child had said made his head spin and made him feel ill.

"It doesn't matter what I want. I have my orders. I have to complete the mission." He managed to grind the words out. His head hurt.

"What d'ya mean what you want doesn't matter? You're a person, what you want matters. You don't wanna follow your orders. You think it's wrong. Why doesn't that matter?"

the girl's head tilted to the side. The boy was breathing hard, trying to stave off the pain. The girl was looking at him with wide sad eyes. The soldier couldn't let HYDRA corrupt their innocence. The children's parents protected them. They probably protected each other. The boy had tried to protect his sister. She had run back for him. Something stirred in the back of his mind.

"_Courage is listening with your heart and doing the right thing. It's not charging into battle and war and conflict without fear or thought. It's… it's showing mercy and compassion. It's doing the right thing, even when you're afraid and uncertain. It's saving a life and making a different call when you're told to pull the trigger."_

The soldier was on his hands and knees, panting, his vision swimming. He knew that voice, he'd known the woman who'd said that. God, his head hurt. Those kids needed to get out of here, he had to get them out of here before the rest of his team showed up.

"Run." He gasped, looking up at the two terrified children. "Run. Quick, before they get here, before they make me- Go."

"Thank you." The girl helped her brother stand. They started away from the soldier going as quickly as they could. The soldier looked around for a way to incapacitate himself, he didn't want to know where the kids went in case he would have to go after them.

The children stopped. The boy leaned against a tree. He looked at them. Wondering why they stopped. The girl looked at the branch above him then directly at him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, they'll hurt you and I'm so sorry." She said, her eyes glowed for a moment, he heard a crack, and then everything went dark.

* * *

"Thank you." Jace said, he didn't trust the soldier, not totally, but Nora had been right, he didn't want to hurt them. Nora helped him to his feet and helped him limp away as fast as he could. They were several yards away when she stopped. Jace looked at her, he knew what she was thinking, she was thinking of what Uncle Nick had told them to do if they needed to run and someone was following them. Jaycen leaned against a tree as she turned around. The man looked up at them, obviously confused.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, they'll hurt you and I'm so sorry." Jace knew Anora really was sorry, not just for what she was about to do, but because HYDRA would hurt him for letting them get away. He watched as he branch above the man crashed down on him, making him crumple to the ground.

"Come on Nora." Jace whispered gently tugging his little sister's arm. "We have to go. We have to hide."

Nora nodded. He knew she hated hurting people, even if there was no other choice. He swung his arm around her little shoulders and they walked, or in his case, hobbled, away quick as they could. The others were probably looking for them, and they didn't know when the man would come to. Jace sent a little prayer to whoever would listen.

_Keep Nora and me safe. Keep that man safe too. He helped us and he disobeyed orders to do it. God help him. Have mercy on him. _


	5. Chapter 5

**I still do not own. And sorry this one's so short.**

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_**"Hearts will never be practical until they re made unbreakable." ~ The Wizard of OZ**_

Jaycen and Anora hid, exactly the way Uncle Nick had taught them. They climbed up some rocks into a little cave that hid them from view and was too small for any grown-ups to get into, but it was the perfect size for the two of them. They could hear HYDRA's men searching for them and the pained cry that could only have come from the man who had let them get away. Jace and Nora stayed where they were, even after the woods got quiet. Uncle Nick would know where to look and he would come looking for them when he heard what happened to Mummy and Daddy, so they waited.

* * *

Nick Fury was worried. Scratch that he was fucking terrified. Mike and Joanna were two of the very, very few people he considered friends and they were on the even shorter list of people he trusted and now they were dead and their children missing.

Fury showed up at their house the day after the homicides had taken place and then proceeded to search the woods as darkness fell. He knew where the kids would be and he knew what he would have to do. Fury was not looking forward to telling those two kids that their parents were dead and he wasn't looking forward to telling Fred that his last surviving child and said child's wife were no longer alive and that his grandkids would not be staying with him, it was just too dangerous. Those kids needed to go where they would be safe and could learn to control their abilities. There was only one place for that and thankfully Professor Xavier was always looking for pupils.

* * *

The soldier knew what was going to happen. He didn't know how he knew, but he knew. He had disobeyed orders and the assets had gotten away.

_No, not assets. They're children, innocent children that don't deserve my fate._

"Wipe him."

The soldier didn't fight them as they strapped him down and put the guard in his mouth. He was breathing hard, but it wasn't the pulsing of electricity or his own pounding heart he heard, it was that woman's voice in his head.

"_There is always hope, even when the night is at its darkest. Never forget that. The sun always rises, even when we can't see it through the clouds and rain."_

That was the last thing he heard before the pain washed through him and HYDRA put him back in deep freeze until they needed the Winter Soldier again.


	6. Chapter 6

**I still do not own :(**

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"_**It is not the size of a man, but the size of his heart that matters." ~Evander Holyfield**_

Fourteen Years Later…

Anora Lucile Williams was sprawled under a tree, a book open beside her, eyes closed, face turned toward the sun. She sighed contentedly. She loved days like this: where it was warm, but not hot, the breeze was gentle, the sun just right, and the world just seemed to be at peace for a moment.

"Anora, there's someone here to see you." The young woman opened her eyes and smiled brightly at the old man who was speaking.

"Okie dokie Granddad. I'll be there in a minute." Anora pushed herself up and grabbed her book, marking the page with a leaf before going inside.

Since she had turned 18 she had been staying either with her brother, who was now going to med school, or her grandfather, helping out as much as she could, which most consisted of chores and listening. And she loved to listen to what people had to say, especially her granddad. She absorbed every word of it. She loved hearing about her parents, the aunt and uncle she never got to meet, her grandmother, the war and her grandfather's friends from when he was in the army. She wrote every one of them down, these stories were important, and she wanted to make sure that they would be around for her family someday. Anora walked into her grandfather's little kitchen and squealed when she saw who was there.

"Uncle Nick!" the girl threw her arms around the spy, hugging him. "Long time no see! How are you? What have been up to? Did you like your Christmas present?"

Uncle Nick's lips quirked, it was about as close to a smile as he got. "I'm fine. It's classified. And it was wonderful, thank you."

Anora laughed releasing him. "What's with the impromptu visit? Not that you normally call ahead, but something's up right?"

He sighed. "I hate to ask-" Anora bit her snarky comment of 'then why are you asking?' "- but I need someone I know I can trust to keep an eye on some very troublesome and volatile people who thought it was a good idea to live under the same roof."

"Mind telling me who these people are so I can decide whether to play glorified babysitter or not?"

"Ever heard of the Avengers?" she stared at him. He was kidding right? They had been all over the news a couple of years before.

"Um, duh. The aliens destroying half of Manhattan and the ragtag bunch of heroes fighting them was front page news for a while there Uncle Nick." She said leaning against the counter. "So you want me to play nanny for them?"

"I would like you to make sure they don't kill each other or start World War 3."

"What makes you think I can do that?"

"You kept your brother and his friends out of a lot of trouble over the years or got them out of trouble when that failed. I think you can handle this."

She thought for a minute. She didn't want to just do a job, she didn't roll like that. She cared too much for that, if she did this, she would be putting her heart and soul out there for people to see and that had a habit of getting her hurt, Uncle Nick knew that, so obviously it was important, or he wouldn't be asking, but she wanted to remind him anyways. "You do know that I'm going to get emotionally involved in this right? It's not just going to be a favor or a job."

He nodded. She was right, it was important. "Okay, I'll see what I can do."

* * *

"WHAT?! It's my building Patchy! You can't just put one of your little pets here and expect me to be okay with that!" Tony Stark was livid. It was his tower damn it! His! Not Fury's! He didn't care that Fury looked about ready to kill him for the pet comment.

"Pet? Well, that's a new one. Normally I'm the one getting asked if the boys are my pets…" Tony turned to look at the girl Fury wanted in his tower, she just looked amused. "Oh, don't let me stop you two, this was just getting interesting. Anyone have any popcorn?" she asked looking around, as though there was someone else in the room.

Tony just stared at her, mouth hanging open. He chance a glance at Fury who looked just as surprised, abet less comically so.

"If you don't close your mouths, you'll catch flies dearies, unless that's what you're trying to do of course."

Tony barked out a laugh and smirked. "Oh, snarky. I like it."

Now she was laughing, her whole body shaking, a crooked smile on her face. "I'm glad dearie, it would be such a shame if you didn't, you would definitely be missing out." She winked at him, trying to regain her composure and failing miserably. Tony had to admit, it might not be so bad if she was staying in the tower, at least he would be able to have snarky, sassy, and intelligent conversations with someone other than Banner.

"Williams." Fury barked. The girl sobered immediately looking slightly hurt.

"You never call me Williams…" Tony was surprised to see Fury sigh and apologize. Fury never, apologizes. This kid had to be important to him. "It's fine Uncle Nick, all is forgiven." The girl smiled slightly, before turning to the Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.

"I have a proposition for you Mr. Stark."

"Call me Tony, Mr. Stark was my father."

"Okay then, Tony. I have a proposition. Let me stay here for one week, and if you don't want me to stay after that week is up then I'll leave, no strings attatched."

Tony Stark thought for a moment. There wouldn't be any harm in what she was proposing, but would one week really be long enough for him to make a decision? No, probably not, especially if what he had seen so far was an indicator. "Two weeks."

"Al- what?" the young woman tilted her head to the side, and looked like she couldn't figure out what he had just said.

"You'll stay two weeks and the team will decide whether you stay or not after that."

She blinked. "Okay, two weeks." She smiled shaking his hand, "this will be an interesting two weeks."

Tony couldn't help but agree with her, it would definitely be an interesting two weeks, and that was putting it mildly.

* * *

The other Avengers seemed weary of her, but Anora had figured they would be, after all they knew nothing about her, and all they knew was that Uncle Nick had asked her to keep an eye on them. She really didn't blame them.

Bruce seemed to like her well enough and so did Tony. Though half the time when they talked science and engineering she had no clue what they were saying. Clint and Natasha didn't trust her, but she suspected that they had good reasons, she just wished she could show them that they could trust her. And she wished she could work up the strength to trust them with the dark scars on her heart, but trust is difficult and it isn't something that can just be given, it has to be earned, and Anora knew this too well. She knew she would have to earn their trust and show them she wouldn't betray it, unlike others whom had betrayed hers.

So Anora started making breakfast for the residents of the tower. She remembered how they too their coffee and whether or not they preferred tea to coffee or hot chocolate. She made sure they got what they liked without a word or any intention of thanks. She made sure they ate and dragged Tony and Bruce out of the labs from time to time to make sure they slept. She started singing softly when she was cooking or washing the dishes, something she didn't do around strangers, and the Avengers started noticing. When she gave Clint his morning coffee and hot chocolate* he would give her a nod of thanks. When she gave Natasha her black tea, Anora received a ghost of a smile in return. When Bruce got his herbal tea, he would mumble thanks with a thin, tired smile. Tony would moan happily when he got his coffee and looked like he might kiss her if he had less self-control or was more awake.

One morning near the end of her two week stay in the tower she woke up later than she normally did, and when she walked out into the common floor's kitchen, she found a plate with bacon and pancakes sitting at the place she normally sat at with a chi tea made exactly how she liked it, waiting for her. She stopped and looked at the others, all of whom were sitting eating their breakfast as though nothing was out of the ordinary.

"So…" she said walking over to her breakfast.

"We had a team meeting." Natasha said. The others nodded.

"And…?" Nora was understandably nervous.

"You're staying." A smile spread across the young woman's face as she sat down and started eating her breakfast.

"Thank you."

* * *

*** my one friend puts hot chocolate mix into a cup then adds coffee instead of water or milk, I kind of figured it's odd but might fit Clint.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I still do not own. And the next few chapters are going to focus on the budding friendships between Anora and the Avengers that are at the tower. This one focuses on Hawkeye. Enjoy!**

* * *

"_**We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here now with the power to shape your day and your future." **_

_**~ Steve Maraboli**_

They all had nightmares, visions of the things they wished they could take back or change when they closed their eyes in the dark. That was why Tony worked until he passed out from exhaustion in his lab. Why Bruce shut himself away with scientific equations and lab reports until he fell asleep reading them. Why Natasha physically exhausted herself before she even attempted to sleep. And why Clint would stay up half the night watching crappy infomercials until he couldn't keep his eyes open. But none of that stopped the nightmares and flashbacks. It didn't stop the horrors from play repeatedly behind their eyelids in the dark of the night. Tony saw that cave in Afghanistan, as clearly as if he were still there. Bruce saw the Hulk destroying and killing because he couldn't be controlled. Natasha's had her back in the Red Room. And Clint was back under Loki's control, hurting the people he had signed up to protect.

Even Anora was not exempt from night terrors, though most of her's were about that night her parents died, about their deaths and about the man who had let her and her brother go. She could hear his pained cries in her dreams, See the haunted look in his horrified eyes before they became blank and cold, and she couldn't help wondering when she woke up if she had done the right thing all those years ago. She couldn't get back to sleep after she dreamed of the pained masked man, so she wandered out of her room.

"JARVIS?"

"Yes, Miss Williams?"

"Is anyone else up? Besides you and me, I mean."

"It appears that Agent Barton is on the common floor, Miss."

"Think he'd mind some company, JARV?" the young woman asked walking to the elevator.

"I believe it would be welcomed, Miss."

"Okie dokie. Thanks JARVIS." She pushed the button for the common floor, stifling a yawn.

* * *

Clint Barton looked up when he heard the elevator ding. A small smile flashed across his face, "Hey gorgeous. What are you doing up this time of night?"

"Hi, Clint. Couldn't sleep." She replied walking to the kitchen. He watched as she put on some water, probably for tea or hot chocolate. "What're you doing up, Arrows?"

His lips twitched at the nickname. "Same as you."

"Mmmm." She nodded, pulling out two mugs and packets of hot chocolate mix. "Wanna talk about it Hon?"

Clint shrugged. "Not really."

"Talking about it helps sometimes…"

"You wanna talk about yours?"

She poured water into the mugs, stirred them, and added whipped cream to the top. "I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours."

Anora handed him a mug. "Okay, you first."

She took a deep breath. "Alright."

* * *

Anora didn't know exactly where to start. But she figured her family was a good place. "You know my brother and I aren't exactly what people would call normal right?" Clint nodded. "Well, because we're mutants, well, some people wanted to use us, for their own agenda and, they sent people to, to take us, and kill Mum and Dad. They kill our parents, and we got away-" she broke off, remembering how terrible it had been, trying to force back the tears. "One of them came after us, he- he'd been ordered to take us back to his superiors. He made a different call, he let us go, I don't know why, but he did. It, it was like something clicked, like he was waking up from a dream or a nightmare, or something. He looked like he was in pain and he was fighting something, and I didn't know what to do, so I kind of dropped a tree branch on his head." She drew her knees to her chest, hugging them. "And now all I can see or hear is his eyes and his screams as he's being punished for helping us get away. And-" she completely lost control of her tears. Nora felt Clint pull her into a hug.

"Hey, It's not your fault. It's not. You couldn't have done anything. It's not your fault."

* * *

Clint felt his heart clench when Anora broke down. She'd been at the tower almost two months now, and he had never seen her cry, not once.

"Hey, It's not your fault." He said pulling her towards him, holding her against his chest. "It's not. You couldn't have done anything. It's not your fault." The archer kept holding her and whispering to her until she stopped shaking and her tears stopped.

"Your turn, Hawk." She sniffled, but didn't move away.

Clint sighed, a deal was a deal, and how could he say no to her after she'd just bared her heart to him. So, he told her about Loki. About how he'd been unmade and forced to shoot at Fury and hurt people, and how he'd almost killed Nat, and he couldn't stop his body and a large portion of his mind from doing what Loki Wanted, giving him what he'd wanted. How he hated himself for letting Loki compromise him. Hated himself for hurting the only people he cared about. Hated himself, because he should have been able to fight it, but he hadn't, he couldn't. He hated it.

"You should listen to your own advice, Hawk. It's not your fault. There was nothing you could have done, and it's not your fault."

"It feels like it is."

"I know, believe me I do, but it's not. If what happened to that man wasn't my fault, then what happened with Loki wasn't yours. It was out of your control. Besides, _you_ didn't choose to do those things. It's our choices that define us. No one is fully good, or totally evil, we're all a mix of good and bad. It's our choices that make us heroes or villians."

He just shook his head. "I feel like a monster, sometimes because of what I did under his control."

"Clint Barton. Look at me." She sat back, and boy, did she look pissed off. "You are in no way a monster. You feel guilty and you feel remorse for what happened right? Well, monsters, real monsters, don't feel sorry for what they've done. They don't feel remorse and they don't feel guilt. That you do means you're not a monster. It means you're a good man, just like the call you made when you met Natasha means you're a good man. And the fact that just now, you let me get snot all over your shirt, in the middle of the night when you have your own worries proves that you are, in fact, a very good man. So don't you dare take the blame for something you couldn't control damnit!"

He gave her a teary smile. "Yes, ma'am."

She gave a curt nod before lunging forward and hugging him. "Good. Now, can we maybe watch a movie or something?"

The archer laughed. "Sure. What do you want to watch?"


	8. Chapter 8

**I still do not own Marvel, nor do I own MASH 4077**

* * *

_**"Life is full of regrets, but it doesn't pay to look back." ~Zinedine Zidane**_

Natasha was exhausted but she couldn't sleep, it was one of those nights where all she could see when she closed her eyes was all the red in her ledger, the red she wanted to wipe out.

"Well, this isn't working" she muttered swinging out of her bed. Normally she would bother Barton, but he was on a mission. Natasha didn't want to bother Stark or Banner, figuring it wouldn't be the best idea. That left Anora, and the assassin was certain that the young woman would be sound asleep, especially since it was two in the morning. But, when Natasha walked onto the common floor she saw the young mutant woman curled up on the couch watching some TV show.

"I wasn't expecting anyone else besides Stark to be up right now." Natasha watched a Nora jumped and turned to look at her.

"Oh, hi Tasha. What time is it?"

"Almost two thirty."

"Oh, I didn't think it was that late. Oops." She smiled at the red head. "Wanna join me since you look like you couldn't sleep?"

"Are you sure _you_ don't want to go get some sleep?"

"I've been awake this long. Might as well stay up a bit longer, besides, you look like you could use some company and I'm at that point where you're so tired you're not. You know?"

Natasha nodded, sitting down next to the Burnette, just as one of the characters started ranting to another.

"_I will not carry a gun… I'll carry your books, I'll carry a torch, I'll carry a tune, I'll carry on, carry over, carry forward, Carry Grant, cash and carry, carry me back to Old Virginia, I'll even hari-kari if you show me how, but I will not carry a gun!"_

"What?" Natasha had no idea what was going on or who was talking, she'd never seen this show before.

"That's Benjamin Franklin Peirce. His friends call him Hawkeye. He's a doctor at a MASH Unit during the Korean War. Major Frank Burnes, that one who's actually in uniform, is trying to get Hawkeye Peirce to carry a gun since he's an army Captain and Frank is a stickler for the rules. But Hawkeye is a doctor first and foremost, he took the Hippocratic Oath and he meant it. He's there to patch up people who have been wounded by guns and bombs, not carry a weapon that causes all those injuries, so he's chewing Frank out for it."

Natasha had to admire the character's ability to stick to his principles. She wished she could do that as well as the doctor on the show who was refusing to carry a gun.

"Tasha, you and Hawkeye Peirce are more similar than you think. He does everything he can to make the world a little better, while in the middle of horrible circumstances. He does everything he can to make the people around him happy, even in the middle of a war zone, trying to patch kids up and keep them from dying. Even when he feels shitty and like he can't do anything to fix the life he was thrown into, he still comforts everyone else and tries to make them smile. You do the same thing. Whenever anyone of us feels like we're drowning from all the things we've seen or done, you always find a way to pull us out. Why? Because you understand and you don't judge us for it, and you've been there, you know it doesn't do any good blaming yourself. You do your best to make a terrible past not so terrible. You don't have to wipe out the red in your ledger, what's been written there is in red ink, you can't erase it, but you can move on and write your future in something else, and we're all here to help if you need us to. That's what friends are for."

Natasha smiled, actually smiled. "Thank you."

"No problema chica. Oh, I love this part!"

The assassin shook her head. She might be able to get used to having a support system, not just for her job, but for herself too.


	9. Chapter 9

**I still do not own.**

* * *

"_**If you want to know what a man is like, look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." ~J. **_

Tony was in his lab again, or was it still? It was no surprise really as he was always in his lab, it was his safe haven, it protected him from the nightmares and flashbacks. When he was in his lab, he was in control of his world and when he worked himself to the point of exhaustion he was less likely to revist The Battle of New York or Afghanistan. Unfortunately, tonight was one of those nights where working until he passed out didn't help.

_It was dark, cold. So, so dark, God, there wasn't any light. And why was it so cold? The cold was sinking into him, into his bones—_

Tony flew back from his work bench, falling onto the floor with a thud. The billionar panted, trying to regain his breath. After a moment he took in his surroundings. Not a cave in Afganistan, not in space with an alien army staring him down. "Must have dosed off…"

The genius jumped when he heard someone tap lightly on the door to the lab.

"Oh, sorry Tony. I didn't mean to make you fall off your chair."

"Don't worry, Williams, you didn't." he replied, scrambling to stand up. Anora raised an eyebrow questioningly. "What can I do for you Princess?"

"One, don't call me Princess. Two, you weren't at dinner, so I figured I'd come check on you and see if you're hungry."

"It's one in the morning."

She flushed. "Okay, so I got hungry and remembered you weren't at dinner, so I came to see if you were hungry, because why eat alone when you can have company?" she sent Tony an innocent grin.

"Food sounds wonderful Princess. How 'bout shwarma?"

"_Don't_ call me princess!"

Anyone else probably would have thought she was actually upset by the nickname, but Tony knew better. The slight mischievous gleam in her eyes and the twitch in her lips said he was just giving him the rise he wanted, that she was playing along to make him feel better. He had the feeling that she knew about the nightmare, but was waiting for him to confide in her.

"Sure, whatever you say, _Princess_."

"GHAAH!"

Tony laughed as he walked out of the lab with the youngest resident of the Tower. Somehow, that girl always knew how to make a person feel lighter and happier. Somehow always knew how to make someone laugh, make them smile.

"Hey, Princess- thanks."

"No problem, Tony."


	10. Chapter 10

"_**Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain." ~Joseph Campbell**_

Bruce was meditating in his room, or perhaps trying to, would be a better way to phrase it. The Other Guy had been restless all day, so Bruce had locked himself away from everyone and everything. It was probably late by now, but The Other Guy was still pushing to get out. Bruce didn't want the other on the team to get hurt because The Other Guy decided to come out to play. His own hate for The Other Guy and his self-hatred for not keeping in control was consuming him as he sat alone in his room.

"Bruce? Do you want anything?" Anora Williams voice asked through his door.

"No. Thank you."

"Okay- but Bruce, if you need anything, ask. Okay? Even if it's just someone to sit quietly beside you, alright?"

"Thank you. I will." He heard her sigh and set something down outside, before walking away.

The doctor stood and walked to the door. He peaked out into the hallway and looked down, a smile tugged at his lips. The young woman had left him a cup of tea and some food, all still steaming, with a note.

'_If you need anything else, just let me know.'_

Dr. Banner scrawled a quick note on the back of it.

'_Thank you. I could use someone to meditate with in the morning, if you wouldn't mind?'_

He left the note with the dishes outside his door. When he looked later he found another cup of tea and a reply.

'_Sure thing Doc. What are friends for?'_

The Other Guy calmed down after reading that note for some reason. It wasn't actually surprising, Bruce decided. Anora seemed to have that effect on people; maybe The Other Guy just wanted friends, people to accept him, just like he did. And he had friends here, they had friends here.

Bruce Banner smiled as he drank his tea, and The Other Guy purred quietly in the back of his mind.


	11. Chapter 11

**I still do not own. Please let me know what you think.**

* * *

"_**Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'what! You too? I thought that no one but myself…'" ~C.S. Lewis**_

Nick Fury walked into the Avenger's Tower and stopped dead. The Black Widow was sparring with Anora. Stark and Barton were discussing upgrades for The Hawk's bow, and Banner was reading in the corner, occasionally looking up and speaking to Stark about the upgrades.

"Well, I'm glad to see you aren't at each other's throats."

"Sir."

"Patchy."

"Director."

"Uncle Nick! How are yo- umph."

"Pay attention to your opponent. Don't get distracted."

"I wasn't distracted Tasha, I just didn't move fast enough."

"I see. Let's see how fast you can move then."

"Oh, hell." Romanoff and Anora's sparing match got more intense, blows and dodges got quicker.

"Don't worry Patchy. Romanoff won't hurt her. This is a daily occurrence after breakfast."

"Is that so?"

"Umph. Yep. And I think I'm sore enough for today, no offense Tash."

"None taken."

"Didn't you used to spar at that fancy school of yours Princess?"

"Yeah, but we spared using our abilities. I'd rather not if I don't have to. It's not exactly fun."

"Creating and manipulating energy sources isn't fun?"

"No, Tony, it's not. Not in a fight. I could kill a person, not just kill them, but absolutely destroy them, not even their little finger would be left."

The room was silent. Fury, of course had known that, the other obviously hadn't.

"Damn. No wonder you don't use your abilities." Barton looked horrified, so did the others, but the Director could tell that they weren't afraid _of_ her. No, they were afraid _for_ her. They were afraid of what might happen if someone forced her to do something terrible.

"It's not that I don't use my abilities. I do. I can do more than destroy. Energy, while it can destroy things, can heal and create too. I've healed a few more minor injuries you guys have gotten before. Mainly Tony, but that's because _someone_ doesn't know how to use proper safety equipment." She glared at Stark.

"Hey!"

"Well, you don't, dumbass. I'd rather you not get blown to smithereens, mostly because Pepper would terrifying."

"Gee, thanks Princess."

"Enough. Barton. Romanoff. You have assignments."

"What's the assignment, Sir?"

"You, Barton are going to France. Romanoff, go to D.C. you'll be working with the Captain."

"When?" Romanoff asked.

"Immediately."

Anora hugged both the Spider and the Hawk before they left to get ready for their missions. "Stay safe. And remember we're watching Lord of the Rings when you guys get back."

"That's supposed to be tomorrow."

"Clint you dolt, we're waiting until you guys get back. We all know how much you like those movies, besides, it wouldn't be any fun without the two of you."

As the avengers said good bye to the spy and assassin, Fury realized that they weren't just a ragtag bunch of heroes, or even just a team. They were acting like friends and more than that, a family.


	12. Chapter 12

**Again I still do not own Marvel. Also I do not own The Princess Bride either. Whoever finds the reference to The Princess Bride will get a Virtual Hug for their Awesomeness.**

* * *

**"_Stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your mind, feelings and emotions." ~Will Smith_**

The Winter Soldier was waiting, cold and silent for his mission. He was here to do a job. Complete his mission. He was not going to fail this time.

_This time?_ The Winter Soldier never fails to complete a mission. _But, then why-?_ No. The Winter Soldier never fails a mission.

"This is your target." The Soldier's superior slid him the file. _Fury, Nicolas J. SHEILD._ "Make sure you take care of him."

"Yes sir." The Soldier left the room. He would not fail this time.

_I have never failed a mission._ But the tear stained faces of two children swam behind his cold eyes. _Yes you have. You let them live. You let them get away._ The Soldier's cold eyes hardened even more. _No. It's impossible._

As HYDRA transported The Winter Soldier to his target his mind dwelled on the impossibility that he had purposely let targets go.

_I would never have let targets escape._ You did. _No._ Yes, don't you remember? You couldn't bring them in. They were just children. _It doesn't matter. They were a mission. I couldn't have let them go. It's impossible._

Suddenly a woman's voice echoed in his mind. _"Nothing is impossible, Sarge. The only impossible thing is someone turning you into a monster. That will never happen. No it won't, don't give me that. It never will happen. Because, I will never leave you, I will always be here, in your heart, no matter what sweetie."_

"We're here." The Winter Soldier looked up and adjusted his mask. It was time for him to complete his mission. His flesh hand brushed something in a concealed pocket of his pants. He waited until his team and handler weren't looking before he looked at it.

It was a locket. He quickly, and gently, opened it. He froze for half a second. In one half was a picture of a man, but it was the woman that made him react. She was familiar, the sight of her made something in him ache for… something. He didn't know what but whatever it was, it was important. The same woman's voice as before rang through is mind. _"This is true love, sweetie, you think it happens every day?"_ The soldier snapped the locket closed quickly, slipping it back into the secure hidden pocket.

It was strange, but he knew, somehow, that he could not let his superiors find it. That locket had to stay hidden. There was no other option. And there was no option but to complete his mission.

The Winter Soldier climbed out of the truck, giving no indication of the things that had been running through his mind. Complete the mission. That was his objective. Complete the mission.


	13. Chapter 13

**I still do not own Marvel or it's affiliates.**

* * *

"_**We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better." ~J.K. Rowling**_

Sam Wilson was going for his morning run when a blonde man ran past. "On your left." The man ran past again.

"On your left." He said.

"Yeah. On my left. Got it."

A little later the man ran past him again. "Don't say it. Don't you say it."

"On your left."

"Oh, come on!" Sam ran faster, trying to catch up to the man, but it was hopeless. The man simply ran too fast. So Sam stopped, hands on his knees gasping for breath before he sat down under a tree clutching his side.

"Need a medic?"

Sam laughed. "I need a new set of lungs. Dude you just ran, like 13 miles in 30 minutes."

"Guess I got a late start."

"Really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap. Did you just take it? I assume you just took it." Sam couldn't help being snarky, really he couldn't. the guy had just ran laps around him, and Sam was still trying to get his breath back while the other man didn't seem out of breath at all, really.

"What unit you with?"

"58th pararescue. But now I'm working down at the VA. Sam Wilson." He motioned for a hand up.

"Steve Rodgers."

"I kind of put that together." Honestly it wasn't that hard to figure out considering the man had run those laps like they were nothing. "Must have freaked you out, coming home after the whole defrosting thing."

Sam listened as the other man sighed. "It takes some getting used to. It's good to meet you Sam." Steve Rodgers turned to go and Sam couldn't help it.

"It's your bed, right?"

"What's that?" Steve turned back around.

"Your bed, it's too soft. When I was over there, I'd sleep on the ground, use rocks as pillows, like a caveman. Now I'm home, lying in my bed and it's like…"

"Lying on a marshmallow. Feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor."

"Yeah."

"How long?" Steve asked him.

Sam sobered slightly. "Two tours." The other man seemed to understand. "You must miss the good old days, huh?"

The other man paused for a second. "Well, things aren't so bad. Food's a lot better. We used to boil everything. No polio's good. Internet so helpful. Been reading that a lot trying to catch up."

Sam thought for a moment, "Marvin Gaye, 1972, _trouble man_ soundtrack. Everything you missed jammed into one album." Steve pulled out a little notebook and wrote it down.

"I'll put it on the list." Steve's phone dinged. "All right, Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run. If that's what you want to call running."

"Oh? That's how it is?" Sam was amused.

"That's how it is." The other man joked.

"Okay." They shook hands. As Steve walked away Sam called after him. "Any time you want to stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"Yeah."

A sports car drove up and stopped by the curb. The window rolled down and revealed a red head.

"Hey, fellas." She said. "Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil."

"That's hilarious." Steve said walking to the car.

Sam crouched down slightly so he was eye level with the woman in the car, nodding at her. "How you doing?"

"Hey."

"Can't run everywhere." Steve said.

Sam just laughed. "No, you can't."

* * *

**Let me know what you think!**


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